Sheetsxsheet i



Jan. 9 1952 F. L. o. CRANFORD 8 I QUICK-CHANGE CASING STABBING BOARD Filed Aug. 29, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Jrwe air Jan, 15, 1952 F. L. o. CRANFORD QUICK-CHANGE CASING STABBING BOARD 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1947 Patented Jan. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE QUICK-CHANGE CASING STABBING BOARD Floyd Lee Ottis Cranford, Baton Rouge, La. Application August 29, 1947, Serial No. 771,199

The present invention relates to improvements in quick change casing stabbing boards and has for an object to provide an improved platform or stabbing board which introduces a new and greater safety factor in the running of casing and other pipe during oil well drilling operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustable arrangement whereby the board may be raised and lowered, whereby the same may fold up in a vertical manner, and, thirdly, in which the board is capable of a sidewise floating movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved traveling support for the board which will admit of the three movements above described, the construction being simple, strong, and inexpensive.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which like parts are denoted by the same reference characters throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved quick change casing stabbing board as constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same with parts shown in section; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view with parts of the supporting standards broken away.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l and H designate the upper and lower derrick rails or any convenient supporting construction between which a ladder |2 extends.

Carried by the derrick frame are the spaced and parallel vertical pipe standards 13 and I4 connected across their upper ends by an arch 5. On these standards are vertically sliding sleeves I6 and I1 connected laterally by horizontal crossbars l8 and I9.

Lugs 20 projecting outwardly from the upper portions of the sleeves l6 and H carry pivots 2| with horizontal axes on which may swing in vertical planes the connecting pieces 22. Such connecting pieces 22 also carry pivots 23 with vertical axes about which rotate the side rails 24 of the platform or board. Such side rails 24 preferably support a grill floor 25 and side rails 26. The grill work and side rails form a platform structure which permits lateral distortion of the same about the pivots 23.

A spring 21 has one end connected to a lug 28 3 Claims. (Cl. 304-29) aflixed to one of the lugs 20, while the other end of the spring is attached to a lug 29 projecting laterally from one of the side rails '24. v 1

Guides 30 having slots 3| are affixed to the undersides of the rails 24 in position to slidingly receive pins 32 upon the upper ends of the diagonal braces 33. The lower ends of the braces are' secured by pins 34 to lugs 35 on collars 36 which may be rotatably mounted about the sleeves l6 and I1. Connecting rods 31 connect the collars 36 with upper collars 38 also rotatably mounted about the sleeves l6 and Below the rotatable collars 36 are fixed collars 39 welded or otherwise secured to the lower end portions of the sleeves l6 and H, such collars having removable pins 40 passing there through which are also'adapted to pass through selected holes 4| in the pipe standards |3 and M. A block and tackle 42 connects with the upper cross-bar l8 while a similar block and tackle 43 connects with the free edge of the platform'or board. Both tackles extend to a head pulley block 44 carried swivelly in the arch l5. An operating cable 45 for the blocks and tackles 42 and 43 is made accessible to the operator on the platform. In the use of the device the platform will slide up and down by pulling upon the operatingcable 45. This will cause the sleeves l6 and IT to slide" up or down on the pipe standards l3 and I4. It will be understood that the pins 40 are removed from the perforations 4| and from the collars 39 before this vertical adjustment is begun. When the board or platform is adjusted to recuired elevation, the pins 40 are replaced throughthe collars 39 and the holes 4| with which the collars register at that time and the adjustment is maintained. By this means the platform may be adjusted to the height of the casing.

A satisfactory apparatus has been built having a twenty-foot adjustable range up and down the derrick which allows for the handling of various lengths of casing and tubing which are used in wells.

Moreover, the platform or board may swing from side to side about the vertical pivots 23 and it may also tip upwardly about the horizontal pivots 2| so that in case the moving block, hook and elevators which are raising the pipe in place should strike the stabbing board from either the side or underneath it will not be broken or knocked out of the derrick but rather will yield to the impact and will move sideways or upwards as the force may be applied; thus allowing the block and hook to move on up; and hence will the block andtacklearrangement allows it to be pulled up out of the way of drilling operations. In most drilling operations conducted at the present time a long wooden board is placed on thegirts of the derrick and usediassastabbingboard. It is not only unsafe but also must be moved up and down the derrick to handlethe various lengths of pipe. The moving of. such wooden. board is a work attended with considerable risk. Such movement also requires excessive valuable time, whereas the improved stabbing board according to the present invention; canvery. quicklybemovedup or downby simply-pulling the safety pins 40 and moving; tothe. desired. height: withthe cat-:line. The. safety pins: 40.- arethen replaced and the: derrick man assumes his position on a safe.- platform with iron; guard: railing. 2G to do hisv work more efficiently and withoutadded risk tov his life.

The. stops 46 are of a. peculiar form in that at one end each step has a. substantially right-angula-rly attaching flange fl welded or otherwise:

secured to a side portion of the side. rail: 24. in.

order that the mainrintermed-late shank portion 46 ofv the-stop shallv be. off-setabout. the vertical pivots 23- and whereby theangularly turned abut. ment nose 48 on the free other end of the shank. 4e may be enabled to abut against a side wall portion of. the respective connecting. piece 22% It willbe noted. from Figure 2 that two stops are provided, one. associated with each side rail. of the platform. and that both: stops are to the same side, namely to the: spring 2.1. side of the platform. thus preventing: the stabbing board from swinging about the vertical pivots 23. to the side next. to: the spring, 21. The pipe always. comes from the opposite side so that any deflection. of the side board. aboutthepivots. 2 will take place in a; direction away from. and, tending to: distend the spring; 2.1.; in. which operation the noses 48 of the stops will move: away from the connecting pieces 22 and. allow of this sidewise: horizontal movement of the platform. When the disturbing forceis removed the spring 21 will draw the platform horizontally back into: place as limited by the. impingement of. the noses. against the connecting. pieces 22. In some instances. a single.

stop may suflice. The spring 21 and the stops are so correlated that the spring brings the stops to rest in the correct operative position of the platform.

When the platform swings horizontally the braces 33 swing therewith occasioning the rotation of the collars 36 upon the sleeves l6 and H. The collars 36 may be rotatably supported upon the lower cross-bar l9.

While I have disclosed herein the best form of the invention known to me at the present time, I desire it to be understood that I reserve the right to make changes and modifications in the herein described embodiment of the invention provided such changes fall within the scope of the following claims.

What is. claimed. is:

1'. A quick change casing stabbing board having vertical standards, sleeves slidable axially over said standards, a platform, pivot means carried by said sleeves for supporting said platform, said pivot means having horizontal axes whereby said platform is adapted to be swung vertically about said pivot, a second pivot means comprising connecting, pieces attached to saidv first mentioned pivot and having vertical axes for supporting said platform for lateral movement. 2. A quick casing stabbing board as claimed in claim 1 in which the platform. has slotted guides depending therefrom, diagonal braces having pins at their upper ends slidable in the.

slotted guides, collars rotatably mounted upon the sleeves and pivotally connected with the lower ends of said braces, means comprising a pulley block and tackle for raising and lowering said platform, and a control cable from said pulley block to said platform.

3. A quick casing stabbing. board as claimed in claim 1 characterized by the provision of stops for limiting lateral swinging movement of the platform, and a spring to restore. the platform to operating position.

FLOYD LEE OTTIS CRANFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS.

Number Name Date 788,171 Schwerin Apr. 25, 1905 1,596,572 Bates Aug. 17, 1926 1,918,293 Seiler e July 18, 1933 2,358,755 Woody Sept. 19, 1944 2,419,145 Kersenbrock Apr. 15, 1947 

